The Chancellor said that Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom had effectively “knifed herself” during the race to become Prime Minister, The Daily Telegraph reported. Mr Johnson hit back at David Lammy after the Labour MP defended comparing some Tory Brexiteers to the Nazis. He wrote in the Daily Telegraph Mr Lammy’s comments were a “peculiar outburst” which has been brought on by “Brexichosis”.

The remarks came as Cabinet Office minister David Lidington, Mrs May’s defacto deputy, said talks with Labour on trying to end the Brexit deadlock would continue over the Easter parliamentary recess.

However, the discussions were not expected to resume on Monday, according to Labour sources.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Hammond said in a speech at the British embassy in Washington DC the Tories have the “joy of a leadership contest ahead”.

Mr Gove and Mr Johnson became rivals during the 2016 leadership contest which saw the field narrow to Mrs May and Mrs Leadsom.

Mrs Leadsom then dropped out of the contest after controversy was sparked by remarks which appeared to suggest that being a mother put her in a better position to be leader.

Referring to the leadership battle, the newspaper reported Mr Hammond as saying: “If you remember last time this happened in 2016, Gove and Johnson knifed each other in an unintended suicide pact.

“Which left just Andrea Leadsom and Theresa May.

“And then Andrea Leadsom knifed herself in a private suicide pact and Theresa May inherited the prime ministership without anybody casting a single vote.”

Mrs May has vowed to launch a fresh attempt to win Commons backing for her withdrawal agreement shortly after Easter as she continues cross-party talks with Labour.

However, Jeremy Corbyn is expected to push for a customs union arrangement with the EU and a close relationship with the single market.

The Prime Minister reached out to the Labour leader for cross-party talks to come to a solution to the political impasse.